Great West Casualty Company Blog (2)

Dec 22, 2020 3:05:00 PM

Ask the Safety Rep: How Does CBD Affect Motor Carriers?

By Great West Casualty Company

HOW DOES CANNABIDIOL (CBD) AFFECT MOTOR CARRIERS? CBD products, which are extracted from hemp or marijuana plants, have grown in popularity in recent years. Currently, each state treats CBD usage differently. This poses a significant risk to motor carriers and truck drivers who are subject to federal drug testing requirements.

Dec 21, 2020 11:30:00 AM

Annual Clearinghouse Queries due Jan. 5, 2021

By Great West Casualty Company

A reminder that motor carriers' annual Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse queries are due Jan. 5, 2021. Per §382.701, employers of CDL drivers must conduct a query of the FMCSA’s Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse at least once per year for each CDL driver they employ. If an employer has already conducted a query on all currently employed CDL drivers, that employer has met the annual query requirement for 2020 and is not required to conduct a query for one year from the initial query date. This includes any limited queries, full queries, and pre-employment queries of the Clearinghouse conducted in 2020.

Dec 1, 2020 1:45:00 PM

Ask the Safety Rep: Starting an Incentive Program

By Great West Casualty Company

HOW CAN I CREATE AN EMPLOYEE SAFETY INCENTIVE PROGRAM? An employee safety incentive program, if part of a larger risk management strategy, can enhance your safety culture. On the other hand, if not designed, implemented, and managed properly, incentive programs can be a source of contention or irritation, and can lapse into oblivion very quickly. If your organization is considering implementing a safety incentive program, here are some points of discussion that you should consider:

Nov 17, 2020 10:00:00 AM

Tips to Maximize Dock Safety

By Great West Casualty Company

Loading docks are full of hazards that can lead to a serious injury or illness. Below is a list of safe work practices to follow when working on a loading dock. Read this information, and put the items on the list into practice to help protect yourself and others.

Nov 13, 2020 8:30:00 AM

Preventing Cargo Theft During the Holidays

By Great West Casualty Company

Cargo theft continues to plague the transportation industry. It may seem like cargo theft is a victimless crime, but it affects all of us because manufacturers price their goods to include a theft component. While it is difficult to tally the amount of loss attributed to cargo thefts annually, the National Insurance Crime Bureau estimates cargo theft costs up to $35 billion dollars per year. Thefts typically increase around the holidays.

Nov 10, 2020 2:00:00 PM

Rules of the Road Include Professionalism & Safety

By Great West Casualty Company

‘Knights of the Road’ refers to a period when truck drivers had a knightly reputation for always being helpful and courteous professionals to fellow motorists. While the term may be lost on this generation, the expectation has not changed. A knightly image is a personal choice requiring a daily commitment to safety and professionalism. A collection of unwritten rules of the road that exemplify this code is below. Read the information below and ask yourself if there are ways you can improve your knightly image.

Nov 5, 2020 3:00:00 PM

Protecting Parked Equipment from Fires

By Great West Casualty Company

A fire can be a devastating financial event for a trucking company or a driver. Modern trucks and trailers are manufactured to be as light as possible, which means they are constructed using a variety of potentially dangerous materials; that construction can become extremely hazardous should a fire occur. The dangers of today’s truck fires include extreme heat, rapidly spreading flames, and potentially toxic fumes.

Oct 22, 2020 10:00:00 AM

Try blended learning to improve safety training

By Great West Casualty Company

Are your safety meetings effective? The traditional instructor-led approach involves one person standing in front of a group of drivers, telling them what they think the drivers need to know. This delivery method may work in some cases, like explaining a new regulation, but it is less effective when trying to change behavior (ex. prevent a rear-end crash). In reality, each worker has a learning preference. Some learn best by doing, while others may prefer online, self-paced learning. Attempting a one-size-fits-all approach to safety training could be the reason your training efforts are unsuccessful and not achieving your desired results. To improve your results, consider using a blended-learning approach to reach a broader range of learning styles.

Oct 19, 2020 9:15:00 AM

5 ways a safety mindset can lower your insurance rates

By Great West Casualty Company

Being safety minded has its benefits for any employer. For motor carriers, however, it is crucial to keeping your drivers on the road and your operation running smoothly. Putting a focus on driver and operational safety has many upsides. It can reduce expenses due to accidents or employee carelessness, it can help attract new business, and it can increase revenue for the company.

Oct 5, 2020 3:00:00 PM

5 ways to Improve Fuel Economy

By Great West Casualty Company

Fuel is a major expense. Because it is a variable cost, meaning it can fluctuate and be challenging to predict, trucking companies are always looking for ways to improve fuel economy to help keep costs down. Read the information below and ask yourself if there are actions you can take to improve your driving skills and save fuel.

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